Word Origin & History

wag early 13c., probably from a Scand. source (cf. O.N. vagga "a cradle," Dan. vugge "rock a cradle," O.Swed. wagga "fluctuate"), and in part from O.E. wagian "move backwards and forwards;" all from P.Gmc. *wagojanan (cf. O.H.G. weggen, Goth. wagjan "to wag"), probably from PIE base *wegh- "to move about" (see weigh). Wagtail is attested from c.1500 as a kind of small bird; 18c. as "a harlot," but seems to be implied much earlier:"If therefore thou make not thy mistress a goldfinch, thou mayst chance to find her a wagtaile." [Lyly, "Midas," 1592]Wag-at-the-wall (1825) was an old name for a hanging ...clock with pendulum and weights exposed.